AT 3.30 on 24 July 1866, accompanied by the ringing of the Abbey bells, a procession led by the mayor, walked from the town hall, by the west end of the abbey, to the Market Place where he was to inaugurate the town’s brand-new town hall, its fourth.

The process had started in September 1863 when a deputation of councillors met Lord Palmerston to seek his views on the construction of a combined town hall and corn exchange; he approved and undertook to open the hall - the project began. The proposal was very ambitious as it was also proposed to incorporate a courtroom, cells, a library, and accommodation for a caretaker.

Two sites were considered, one in the Market Place on a site then occupied by Mr Leal, the other facing The Hundred; unfortunately it proved impossible to reach consensus on a single site so supporters of the corn exchange withdrew from the plans and decided to make their own, separate, arrangements.

Six tenders for construction to a design by Mr Bedborough of Southampton were received, ranging from £2,725 to £3,450, of which the cheapest, from Mr Dallimore of Fareham, was accepted; construction soon commenced.

Lord Palmerston had hoped to lay the foundation stone, but because of illness he was unable to perform the ceremony; instead the Mayor, Charles Dyett, laid the stone on 26 September 1865 with a bottle underneath containing a vellum scroll with a list of the town council members.

Hon. William Cowper, MP, Palmerston’s step-son, undertook to perform the opening ceremony as Lord Palmerston, a great supporter of the project, had died by this time; unfortunately, he was unavailable on the day so the then Mayor, CL Lordan officiated.

There were a number of celebratory meals; one for the councillors in the old town hall prior to the ceremony, followed by a public dinner for nearly 150 gentlemen (but no ladies, apparently). The building work had been undertaken in such an impressive manner, the workmen had conducted themselves “with steady industry and civility”, that the council gave a special dinner at the White Horse for the contractor and his men.

The final cost was about £3,000, equivalent to about £400,000 today, of which £1,000 came from local subscriptions and £1,500 from the Government which paid for the courtroom and cell.

The town hall stills serves us today.